Child's Spending...

DanStat

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
How does everyone here control their child's spending at WDW?

I've heard many suggestions, but none of them seem fair.

Do you limit number of items, cost, etc.?
 

all_good_chic

New Member
when i was little i would save my money (100$) every time we went to disney. I would choose what to buy and i knew my limit. My parents bought me a few things like a special necklace as a present but other than that i bought all my own stuff. I think it was good since i got a sence of money control.:)
 

goofyman

New Member
This is a tough one. My kids bring money, Grandma and Granpa usally supply them. Beyond that, I am a biger kid then them and have a tough time saying no to them on vacation. It all depends on the budget of course but to me FAMILY is what vacation is about and unless it's eally something thatI think is really a waist I am a softy!!
 

tybroid59

New Member
My children are 11 and 13 .
They like me have been saving for this holiday for ages .
Their granparents have given them some money and I will also give them some.

When they are at WDW they can spend all that money on what ever they want as it is their money.However if by the end of the first week they dont have any money left then they will have to accept that I will give them money but not much and I will have a say in how they spend it .

They knew this from the begininng and have been saving hard and selling stuff on e-bay.

:)
 

suzanne

New Member
When I first visited WDW with my parents, in 1983 My sister and I were given a certain amount of spending for the whole holiday and told how much this worked out per day. If we saw something big we were told that we knew where it was and would be coming back later during the holiday (3 weeks) and we could get it then if we still wanted it/hadn't seen somethign we wanted more, and had saved up our money, not that they wouldn't help buy it if we were nearly there.

This had two effects, it made sure we didn't go through all the money we had every day, and also meant we didn't buy something and then the next day find something we wanted more. We had to be careful because it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime and we wouldn't be going again, and therefore the things bought had to last and remind us of the holiday for a long time.

Oh well, part of it was true,

Trip 9 Oct 03 here I come!
 

RandeB

Member
Before I started my daughter on allowance, I offered her the chance to buy one souveneir a trip. But only on the last day, as she would shop every day and constantly change which one she wanted. Of course, there were occasional small items purchased, as well as some secret Santa work going on. But that seemed to work as she always enjoyed shopping and deciding what would be the one item.

After allowance is easy...just say "It's your money!"
 

Beauty and the

New Member
Whenever we go we give our kids an allowance usually above $150. The first day we get there they get a treat as a sort of welcome gift. They know their money has to last them the whole of the holiday and two of them do think very carefully before they buy. Throughout the stay we treat them but they never know when its going to happen. I think this gives them a little bit of responsibility, but they are only kids after all and I wouldn't like a $150 allowance when I'm there:animwink:

Oh the $150 only has to cover toys! Things like T-shirts Sweat shirts, Trainners and somehow even Pins!! are counted as essential items to be funded by Dad's household budget :veryconfu
 

dizneykev

Member
I suppose I may be a bad one to answer this, but here we go. We are going tdown to the "World " in November for my son's first trip ever. (He will be 18 months). We decided to save our change to give him money to spend while we were there. Although we would be the ones actually spending it, we thought this as a good way to set a limit, whatever we save is what we will spend on silly things he may want (lollipops, balloons, light up toys, etc.). We figured we would have a couple hundred fun dollars to play with. Well, over the last 10 months, my wife and I have not spent any change for anyhting, we always let the cashiers break dollars, so we added up the fund this weekend. We have over $1000 for him to blow. What a blast!! I think he really wants the entire monrail toy set from Once upon a Toy!! LOL And the Mr. Potato Head, and the Lincoln Logs, and the CLue game, oh my hold me back. Downtown Disney here we come!!!

But really, saving change can be a great way to set aside a little money and to give yourself a limit on what discretionary funds you have while you are there.

Dizneykev
 

CAPTAIN HOOK

Well-Known Member
My kids are 10 & 13, since our last visit ( April '01 ) they have saved money from XMas and their last birthdays. They also save some of their pocket money. Before we go they will receive money from us and they will probably receive some more money from other relatives.
When they get to WDW the money is theirs to spend how and when they like BUT :-
They know that they will get no more if they spend up and that the money should last them for the whole of the visit,
They know that they can only get 1 large soft toy (suitcase room & aircraft baggage allowances),
They are now quite responsible with their money and we feel that this way teaches them the values of saving and non impulse purchasing.
 

Lilo

New Member
My son is 6 and this will be fourth time. We only let him buy 1 toy in each park and maybe 1 toy for a friend. The only time we make an exception is if the toy is an exclusive and not something that can be bought in Toys R Us or the Disney Store. Hope this helps.:wave:
 

bearboysnc

Well-Known Member
We are going down to the "World " in November for my son's first trip ever. (He will be 18 months). We decided to save our change to give him money to spend while we were there... so we added up the fund this weekend. We have over $1000 for him to blow.
GOOD LORD!

$1000 for an 18 month old? WILL YOU ADOPT ME!
 

dizneykev

Member
"$1000 for an 18 month old? WILL YOU ADOPT ME!"

I know it is sick, but obviousley we will use it for other things. We wanted money set aside so that we didn;t even worry about the costs fro him to get whatever he wants. I don't want him asking please for some silly item in the store and then me balking because of money. This trip is for him to do whatever he wants and money isn't going to be a factor. We really didn't expect that much money to be saved by now, but honestly it will probably grow by another $500 or so by the time the trip comes. I have rebates and cashback awards that have already been earmarked for his fund. Also, I will purchase a lot of big toys for him for Christmas, etc. out of this money. I just can't wait to get there and blow it all.


Dizneykev :sohappy: :sohappy:
 

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
I tell the kids that its better to give than receive. Then they can use their illgotten gains to fund my Becks and bratwurst habit.

Lets hear it for grandparents with more money than sense.
However as your kids get older they realise that there's a trade off, pocket money gives independance but is a finite resource, whereas no pocket money = key card with charge facility, and the unfortunate Snapper wont find out till check out.:veryconfu
 

monorail256

Member
Disney Dollars!

Ok... I've had to save my own money since I was like 10 and a way to save money (that means not breaking open a pig) is to go to your local Disney Store (or WDW guest relations) and picking up Disney Dollars. They are great! All you do is trade them in as..
$1.00 = $1.00 Disney Dollar
$5.00 = $5.00 Disney Dollar
$10.00 = $10.00 Disney Dollar
Those are the only increments that the money comes in.. NO 20'S! I think they should have 20's but lets just be happy with what we have. From me saving money from my b-day and chrismtas I normally go down with about $200.00 for spending money.. $150 of that I make Disney Dollars and the other 50 for just spending money like if we go to Walmart or something dumb. Its a great way to save money and not spend it anywhere else... thats the bad part tho.. You can only spend them in WDW, DL, and Disney Stores. So... dont take more than you'll use.. but of course this is Disney.. BLOW YOUR MONEY!! lol Have fun and hope this helps...:D
 

dreamer

New Member
When our kids want to buy something we usually have them wait a day or two. Usually they will realize they didn't really want it but would rather buy something else or save the money.

Near the end of the trip we let them buy what they want if they have the money and if it is not a spur-of-the-moment decision on something we know will end up unused in the back of the closet.

My 13yo daughter started a pin collection last trip. The other kids were satisfied with the premium Mickey bars I bought every afternoon.
 

DisneyKrazed

New Member
I'm a fourteen year old guy and since i have a better chance of getting spending money from people off the street (take that lightly) I've had a job constantly for the past two years. Of course all the money I had saved up until last October I splerged when I went to Disney :D . Anyways since I'm not a parent and I don't really want to post were I can't help but if your children are old enough for a job encurage them to get one. Thats what I did to my lazy friends last year and we landed up working at Splish Splash :animwink:
 

Erika

Moderator
My parents started me on a chore-based allowance somewhere around kindergarten/first grade. For WDW or any other vacation, I would save my allowance, and have that to spend- and then they would buy me one thing. It sure made me think about what I REEEEEALLY wanted!
 

hockeymom

Member
When I went with my parents when I was a kid, I had saved up money from babysitting and pretty much bought what I wanted, I think it helped me make better choices!! you tend to put more thought into what you buy when you spend your own money.

My kids on the other hand, are a different story, let's just say they are rather spoiled, but in fairness to them, they do not ask for everything they see and actually made choices that I was more than happy to buy for them.
:)
 

homer424

New Member
When I was a kid and we would go, I was always reminded anything I wanted had to be carried on a plane-so the life sized Mickeys were out-LOL. Everything was on a case by case basis and like others, I would have to wait a few days before I could get it. Mostly because I was a bit wishy washy as a kid and we did all our shopping on the last day. Things like food and food treats (ice cream, candy, popcorn or turkey legs) were included in the entire trip fund for both of us. But I think this worked the best because it was just me and my mom!

Donna
 

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